The Rice Township Board of Supervisors reorganized Monday January 6, 2014. Marcia Thomas was unanimously elected Chairman. “Thank you all for being here and celebrating with us tonight,” exclaimed Thomas, who served as Township Secretary-Treasurer for 20 years before she was replaced at the January 3, 2011 Reorganization meeting. Thomas begins her third year of service on the board of supervisors. She was elected in November 2011.

Mark Taney was elected in November 2013 and was unanimously elected Vice-chairman. Salaries for the Supervisors are $1875 as per state law.

The board will meet on the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p. m. in the Rice Municipal Building. Previously the board met on the second Tuesday.

A number of board appointments were approved: Thomas-Police, Personnel and Planning & Zoning; Taney -Recreation and Recycling and Township Roadmaster at a salary of $200 per month.

Miller Stella will be the liaison to the Fire Dept., Mountaintop Regional Police, and the Mountaintop Joint Sanitary Authority.

Alicia Steir was appointed Rice Township Secretary-Treasurer at a salary of $30,000 per year. The position was previously held by Don Armstrong and the appointment was listed on the Salary and Wage Schedule at $37,534.85. Steir is a township resident and has worked for an accounting firm. Treasurer’s Bond is in the amount of $500,000 for the years 2014 through 2016.

Steir was also appointed as the Planning Commission Administrator/ Secretary at an annual salary of $2,260.

Jack Dean was appointed Township Solicitor at a salary of $5200 per year. Dean was also appointed Planning Commission Solicitor at $4100 per year.

Jeffrey Malak was appointed Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor at $125 per hour.

Robert Pipech was appointed Zoning Officer at a salary of $4,000 per year plus expenses.

Alan Snelson was retained as Sewerage Enforcement Officer and William Bilby is the SEO alternate, both at $45 per hour plus expenses.

Township Engineer duties will be split between Quad 3 at $95 per hour and Penn East at $75 per hour.